ML20067D056
| ML20067D056 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Calvert Cliffs  |
| Issue date: | 02/08/1991 |
| From: | Creel G BALTIMORE GAS & ELECTRIC CO. |
| To: | NRC OFFICE OF INFORMATION RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (IRM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 9102120310 | |
| Download: ML20067D056 (3) | |
Text
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,i CHARLES CENTER
- P.O. BOX 1476
- BALTIMORE MARYLA"O 21203 1475
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February 8,1991 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Washington, DC 20555
-NITENT10N:
Document Control Desk
SUBJECT:
Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant Unit No.1; Docket No.50 317 Reauest for Walver of Compliance
REFERENCE:
(a) 1.ctter from Mr! O. C. Creel (BO&E) 10 NRC Document Control Desk," dated February 8,1991, Request for Emergency License Amendment; CEA Operability _
l Ocntlemen:
~
1 B'altimore Gas and Electric, BO&E). Company requests a. waiver of compliance from all the operability and surveillance re(quirements for the center Control Element Assembly (CEA). The requirements are Technical Specifications ; 4.1.1.1.1, 4.1.1.2, 3.13.1, 4.13.1.1, 4.13.1.2, 4.13.13, 3.133, 4.133.1, 4.133.2, 3.13.4,L4.13.4,' 4.13.5, 3.13.6, 4.13.6, 3.10.1,' 4.10.1.1, 4.10.1.2, 3.2.2.1, i 4.2,13,4.2.2.13,4.2.23,3.23 and 4.233. The center CEA has been declared inoperable because of our inability to determine that it will continue to satisfy the rod drop time surveillance rec uirements.
- Because of this, we do.not meet the LCO of Technical Specification 3.13.4 and the Unit cannot enter MODE 2. Unit 1 is currently' shutdown for unrelated reasons and is scheduled to enter MODE 2 on February 9,1991. We could not have avoided this sittntion because the Unit was already operating in the current cycle when the swelling problem was discovered.- The only way to avoid the problem would be to remove the CEA, which will occur during the next refueling outa;tc.
We request this waiver be granted for the period required for the NRC to review our emergency
- Technical Specification submittal on the same subject (Reference a).
1 Unit.1 was shut down on February 2,1991.' for unrelated reasons. While the-shutdown was
- underway, it was noted that the rod bottom light and lower electric limit light had not come on for
'the center CEA after it had been driven into the core. The CEA was withdrawn approximately.
i 4 6 inches and dropped back into the core to see if it would seat. It did not seat again, although the lower electrical limit indication came on. -~At this time, cor.imencement of the Unit 1 cooldown was-delayed to allow for more testing - Readings of the CEDM coil traces were taken to determine the existence of control rod binding. These readings indicate that the control rod is binding in the buffer region of the guide tube. We believe that this binding is due to swelling in the zircaloy slugs of the control rod.' Similar swelling has been experierced on three previously used CEAs. Wo request that Unit operation be ailowed to resume with this swollea CEA, since the CEA reactivity is sufficiently low that it does not impact the safety analysis.
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l Document Control Desk February 8,1991 Page 2 II ASIS FOR NOEIGNIFICANT IIAZARDS DITERMINATION As described in Reference (a), evaluations have been performed to determine the effect of tia center CEA being misaligned on the results of the safety analyses. These evaluations have considered power distribution effects, shutdown margin, and the CEA ejection accident. The evaluations concluded that the misalignment of the center CEA would not significantly affect the results of the analyses. All safety analyses remain valid for the remainder of Unit 1 Cycle 10 operation. The center CEA was designed for power distribution control early in the life of the core and now provides very littic reacthity control. In fact, only one of the five fingers, the center one, serves any reactivity function. More detail of the safety analysis evaluation is contained in Reference (a). Compensatory measures are not required during the waiver period because any misalignment of the center CEA has been shown to have no impact on the safety analyses.
Reference (a) also discusses the basis for our determination that this waiver does not constitute a significant hazard. Because the center CEA has been shown to provide no significant reactivity control, its removal from the Technical S accification operability requirements does not affect the consequences of previously evaluated acek ents. Also, the CEA will not be operated differently than where it be; plan to continue to operate the CEA aligned with its group unless it swel before. We ms to interfere with the control rod guide tube sleeve. At that time, we may choose to operate wit:1 it misaligned from the rest ofits group. Further details concerning our determination of no significant hazards may be found in Reference (a).
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEOUENCES This waiver will not result in irreversible environmental consequences. We will not operate the l
control rods any differently than we have in the past, with the possible exception of the center one becoming misaligned. Besed on the evaluation of the safety analyses for this wa:ver, there is no
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increase in the consequenc s of any accident previously evaluated and no new accidents are created.
l This waiver will not result in any increases in routme or post accident radiological releases or occupational exposures. Therciore, the emironment will not be adversely impacted.
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l Document Control Desk -
s February 8,1991 Page 3 SAFETY COMMITTEE REVIEW These proposed changes to the Technical Specifications and our determination of significant hazards.
have been reviewed by our Plant Operatiora Safety Review Comir.ittee, and they have concluded that implementat!an of these changes will not result in an undue risk to the health and safety of the public.
Very trulyyours,
/
1, &
STATE OF MARYLAND t TO WIT t
. COUNTY OF CALVERT
.t I hereby certify that on the day of.
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me thesubscriber,
.a Notary-Public of the State of Maryland in and fd - /Q hin f,
- personally appeared George C. Creel, being duly sworn, and states that he is Vice President of the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company, a corporation of the State of Maryland; that he provides the foregoing response for the purposes therein set forth; that the statements made are true and correct
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'io the best of his knowledge, information, and belief; and that he-was authorized to provide the response on behalf of said Corporation.
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1 D. A. Brune, Esquire J. E. Silberg, Esquire R. A. Capra, NRC D. O. Mcdonald, Jr., NRC T. T. Martin', NRC L E. Nicholson, NRC R.1. McLean,'DNR '
J. H. Walter, PSC I
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